Although they had attempted to negotiate, they didn’t truly believe the other party would let them live.
Dongbang Hwi struggled to hide his shock and asked once more.
“Can I trust those words?”
“Of course.”
“Will you give us some time to discuss?”
Paehyeolsu Muchideok looked calmly into Dongbang Hwi’s eyes and replied.
“I will give you 15 minutes. However, even I won’t be able to help you beyond that.”
“Thank you.”
Dongbang Hwi hurried toward his warriors and his daughter.
The eyes of the crowd followed him.
With a complicated expression he could not hide, Dongbang Hwi looked at the escorts and his daughter.
“The clan meets its end in my generation. Everyone has worked so hard. Fortunately, they said they would spare our lives if we just hand over the goods — “
Before he could finish, Captain O, a warrior of the clan who had an injury on his left arm, shouted in indignation.
“Master! We will protect you and the young lady no matter what. Please survive and take revenge. We will carve a path for you!”
Dongbang Hwi approached with a gentle smile, took Captain O’s hand, and patted it lightly.
“Captain O, do not do that. Did they not guarantee our lives if we hand over the Escort Goods?”
“That cannot be, Master! If we hand over the goods, the clan is finished!”
“Haha… Yes, I know. As you said, the clan will fall. But your lives are more precious to me. I feel so sorry toward all of you even now. I will take responsibility for the Escort Goods, so do not push me any further.”
“Master… sob…”
Some could not even lift their heads out of resentment, while others glared at the bandits with eyes full of spite.
As Dongbang Hwi watched them, the moisture in the corners of his eyes slowly spread.
Because he lacked power, he was in a position where he had to beg mere bandits for his life.
If it were the Dongbang Clan of the past, handing over Escort Goods would have been unthinkable.
Furthermore, the fate of the clan rested on these specific goods.
That was why most of the remaining warriors had followed this escort mission.
Dongbang Hwi quickly wiped his tears before others could see and forced strength into his slumped shoulders.
Even if he was in a position of begging for his life, he did not want to show any more weakness to mere bandits.
Perhaps the truly difficult journey was only beginning.
To protect his daughter and the survivors, he could never give up.
Dongbang Hwi approached Paehyeolsu Muchideok with slow but dignified steps.
“We shall do as you say. We will leave all the goods behind and only the people will depart.”
He then turned back to his group.
“Everyone, listen well. You have worked very hard until now. What in this world is more precious than life? Everyone, move away from the goods and gather here.”
The fifteen remaining warriors and five Jaengjasu began to gather one by one on the left side, about 3 chang away from the carriages.
Having prepared for death, they began to watch the bandits’ reactions now that a hope for survival had emerged.
At that moment, Jo Pyeong, one of the sub-leaders, looked at Muchideok with a dissatisfied face.
“Deputy Leader, are you really letting them live? If the Leader finds out, we’re all dead.”
“Enough. I will take responsibility.”
“Then we should at least take the woman…”
“You dare…”
Clang!
Muchideok’s saber was against Jo Pyeong’s shoulder before anyone knew he had drawn it.
For him, who was proficient in palm techniques, drawing the saber he usually carried like an ornament was a final warning.
It meant he should not mention the matter again.
Jo Pyeong closed his mouth as if he had no choice and returned to his spot.
As a nerve war broke out among the bandits, Dongbang Hwi hurriedly bowed, fearing they might change their minds.
“Since you have shown us great mercy, we shall take our leave.”
Then, he and his party began to move quickly back the way they had come.
Jo Pyeong’s gaze, watching the people of the Dongbang Bureau move away, slowly turned cold.
In fact, a day before this expedition, the Leader of the Blood Wolf Band, Yeopae, had quietly summoned Jo Pyeong to his quarters.
“For this expedition, choose about twenty reliable men to take with you.”
“Are there any special instructions?”
“It’s nothing much, but the Deputy Leader hasn’t been feeling like himself lately. If a problem arises, handle the cleanup with the men behind the Deputy Leader’s back.”
“…Behind the Deputy Leader’s back?”
“Yes. Without him knowing. If you’re caught, the Deputy Leader might kill you first.”
A cruel smile brushed across Yeopae’s lips.
“Understood.”
As the Leader’s prediction hit the mark, Jo Pyeong began to contemplate a proper excuse.
And just as Dongbang Hwi’s group completely disappeared, Muchideok gave orders to his subordinates.
“Take all the carriages and goods and return. Hurry.”
“Yes!”
With the looted carriages in the lead, the bandits began to move toward the Northern Outskirts.
Meanwhile, Gangchan and his team members, who were observing the entire situation from about 100 chang away while preparing for battle, were bewildered by the unexpected turn of events.
The bandits and the man who appeared to be the representative of the bureau exchanged some words, and after about 15 minutes, the bureau people headed back toward where they were first ambushed, while the bandits began to drive the carriages loaded with goods to the north.
‘They killed so many people back there, but here they only take the goods?’
Something didn’t add up.
“What could be the reason?”
Gangchan looked at Gwak Sugi.
“To be honest, I am curious as well. However, if I were to infer from the situation, if the bureau fought to the end, the bandits would also suffer significant damage, so they might have accepted a negotiation.”
“Trading the goods for their lives? But do they really intend to let them live?”
“We must consider that the opponent is a bandit. While they might truly let them live, I think the possibility is low.”
“Then what about the current situation?”
“They are likely pretending to let them go.”
“So, why are they doing that?”
Baek Geombi, who had been listening to Gwak Sugi, shouted in frustration.
“My ears hurt, you rascal.”
“Please, just say it quickly. It feels like my insides are exploding.”
Gwak Sugi let out a short sigh and continued.
“Look, think of it as if you were the bandit. Right now, the bureau people are completely surrounded and have no way to escape, right? Then they would have no choice but to resist desperately. But what if you say you’ll spare them and let them go? This isn’t the Middle Plains; it’s the Plains. There’s no proper place to run, and not many places to hide. It would actually be much easier to handle an opponent who is running away with their strength depleted.”
After Gwak Sugi’s explanation, everyone nodded in agreement.
“That sounds plausible. We follow the bureau people first.”
Once Gangchan’s command was given, everyone quietly mounted their horses and began to follow the bureau people.
The bureau people’s movement speed dropped significantly due to the wounded.
Not long after, as the sun began to slowly set, they could no longer proceed and found a suitable place to prepare for camp.
The problem was that they had nothing, as all their supplies had been taken by the bandits.
They searched the surroundings in a hurry, gathered dry branches and grass to light a small fire, and gathered around it one by one.
As they felt the warmth from the flames, the people curled up, lay down, and soon fell into a deep sleep.
When the bureau people stopped moving, Gangchan and his members also stopped about 100 chang away.
Gangchan instructed Na Myeong and Baek Geombi to scout the rear.
Even though they were 100 chang away, Gangchan could feel the anxiety and nervousness they were experiencing.
The relief of having survived.
The despair and fear that the family they belonged to had fallen, and the encroaching cold and hunger.
He wanted to run to them and hand them food right now, but it wasn’t time yet.
‘If I were a bandit, I would definitely finish them off tonight.’
Even if the Plains were like the bandits’ front yard, it was not easy to find someone again in this vast field.
As time passed, the possibility of finding those who got away would become even slimmer.
‘Please endure just a little longer, even if it’s hard…!’
The moon rose, and the Plains were filled only with the sounds of wind and grass insects.
Gangchan looked at the bureau people’s campsite once, then looked up at the night sky.
It was the time when the moon had risen to the middle of the sky.
Na Myeong and Baek Geombi, who were scouting the rear, quietly approached Gangchan.
“The bandits are moving secretly this way.”
“As expected. How many are there?”
“That is… it was too dark and the area is wide, so it was difficult to determine the exact number.”
“In that case, let’s ambush and watch.”
Gangchan secretly hid the horses and instructed the team members to spread out as wide as possible to ambush, allowing the enemies to come deep inside.
A moment later, an ominous and murky energy began to approach the place where the Dongbang Bureau was camping, like insects crawling in.
They passed the point where the team members were ambushed and slowly approached the bureau people.
The ones who approached the point where Gangchan was ambushed passed by without noticing his presence at all.
Assessing the energy he felt, the total number was twenty.
It was fewer than expected.
‘Look at these guys. Are they a scout party?’
Gangchan quietly gave instructions via sound transmission to the members waiting for the attack order.
‘The number is too small. We will observe the situation a bit longer.’
Since there was a risk of being caught, he had the members stay on standby and decided to move forward about 50 chang alone to watch the situation.
The men approached the Dongbang Bureau people quietly, then held their breath as they got within 4 or 5 chang.
Suddenly, they rushed in with a loud noise.
“My, look who we have here! Isn’t this the Dongbang Bureau we spared? But why didn’t you run away even after being spared? Puhahaha!”
Sub-leader Jo Pyeong appeared, talking loudly as if he had discovered the Dongbang Bureau people while passing by.
The sleeping Dongbang Bureau people were surprised and dumbfounded, merely staring at them blankly.
At that moment, Dongbang Seollin, who had been suppressing her indignation for everyone’s sake, drew her sword.
“You wicked scoundrels, I knew this would happen! You never had any intention of letting us go from the start!”
Her clothes were dirty after the long ordeal, and fatigue had accumulated as she hadn’t been able to wash for a long time, but her momentum was intense enough to overwhelm the surroundings.
She had been hiding and holding back until now.
If she stood out, it would only stimulate their lechery in addition to their greed.
Moreover, if something happened to her, it was obvious her father would collapse on the spot.
However, seeing the current situation, it was clear the bastards never intended to let them go from the beginning.
There was no longer any meaning in hiding or holding back.
Since they were all going to die here anyway, she resolved to die fighting as a martial artist.
Having prepared for death, her mind felt more at ease.
The moment the hope that they might live vanished, the remaining warriors also gritted their teeth and drew their weapons.
As they strengthened their resolve, the surrounding situation gradually came into view.
The number of enemies was at most twenty.
If they risked their lives, would it be worth a try?
No, it would be impossible.
Except for her father, Dongbang Hwi, and herself, the warriors’ skills were all second-rate, save for one or two.
Not only were the enemies superior in number, but they were also inferior in skill.
Even if they were bandits, they were not to be taken lightly.
The one in the lead exuded the aura of at least a first-rate martial artist.
Still, they wouldn’t know until they fought.
The one who survives isn’t always the strong one.
Just then, Dongbang Hwi quickly stepped forward and shouted toward Jo Pyeong.
“What is the meaning of this? We certainly received a direct promise from your Deputy Leader! No matter how much of a bandit you are, are your Deputy Leader’s words so light that you would break that promise before a single day has passed?”
When the Deputy Leader’s promise was mentioned, Jo Pyeong was momentarily speechless.
If the Deputy Leader found out about this, he might kill him.
But what could he do if it was the Leader’s order?
“How could that be? I also feel sorry about that point.”
Jo Pyeong continued in a sly tone.
“That’s why I’m saying, if you just hand over the girl over there, we’ll just leave.”
A sinister smile hung on his lips.
Hearing the bastard’s words, Dongbang Seollin’s mind went blank.
In the end, did it mean everyone was in danger because of her?
If she alone sacrificed herself, would everyone really be able to live?
As futile thoughts brushed through her head, she shook it violently.
‘I should back off.’